Garbage

All the industrialized societies/economies have serious waste disposal problems - 'garbage' heaps up everywhere or is "burned and buried" or simply "buried" to corrode under supposedly leak-proof tarpaulins or sheeting.

But relatively few - and very few "climate activists" today ('though many used to) - seem to be?thinking publicly about seriously, effective, sustainable solutions to our 'garbage problem'

I had a friend with a double doctorate in philosophy?- from People's?Republic of China - Dr. Song TIAN - who called himself "a garbage philosopher" or "a philosopher about garbage" because he was trying to call public attention to this grossly evident and unavoidably serious problem with industrialization.

He had some great color and B&W photos of ravines in PRChina that were filling up with waste from broken electronics, bags of garbage, and worse.? They "systematized waste disposal"?

There is a part of the Bible that calls attention?to the problem of garbage, but does it in what I consider to be "a curiously?oblique way" (the trash heaps outside the main city were a reference point).

IMO, the downstream of what happened earlier this week at Madison Square Garden is tragic because really "teachable moments" were missed?or avoided (by the pundits, the press, and the politicians).

Reporters are 'contesting' which one can best predict the winner of the current electoral contests and the downstream implications of deciding future policies.

These observations raise important points about waste management and the missed opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions about sustainable solutions.

The "garbage problem" is a visible and persistent externality of industrialized societies, yet it's often overlooked in climate discourse in favor of issues like renewable energy and emissions reductions. However, waste management is tightly linked to climate issues, as landfill sites emit greenhouse gases, waste disposal can harm ecosystems, and the resources used for disposable products contribute to environmental degradation.

Dr. Song Tian's focus on "garbage philosophy" touches on an underexplored area in environmental ethics: the need to think deeply about the lifecycle of products, our consumption habits, and the unintended consequences of modern living. China’s electronic waste disposal sites, as he documented, highlight the hidden costs of a globalized economy that often exports waste to regions with fewer regulations, creating toxic environments in these areas.

The Bible reference mentioned, alludes to "Gehenna" or "the Valley of Hinnom" outside Jerusalem, historically served as a burning ground for trash and was later used as a metaphor for suffering. This ancient reference shows that waste has long been recognized as a societal issue and suggests that the problem is not new, but its scale and impact have escalated with industrialization.

The recent events you alluded to at Madison Square Garden could indeed have been opportunities for "teachable moments" about sustainability, waste management, or broader societal issues. Instead, public discourse often shifts to immediate political or entertainment concerns, leaving structural issues unaddressed.

In light of these challenges, we might ask:

• How can modern society bring sustainable waste management back into the climate conversation?
• Can policies be devised that shift responsibility not only to individuals but also to corporations and governments?
• What role can education and media play in reshaping public perception of waste from something to "dispose of" to something to thoughtfully manage and minimize?

These questions are critical as waste, like climate change, will only grow as an issue if not tackled systematically and proactively.